Burning Earth: The Story of Ki-lee
by Flame10Ice
Summary: Ki-lee is one of Zuko's closest and oldest friends. She's put her life down for him and is now helping him to capture Aang. She thinks it's just a wild goose chase until they actually find him. When she see's that Aang is a child she can't stay with Zuko any longer.Follow the story of Ki-lee as she travels with the Gaang to save the world and maybe she and Zuko will meet again.
1. Chapter 1: Ki-lee and Zuko

"Zuko, tell me again. Why we are sailing aimlessly around the South Pole?"

Zuko took a moment to try and calm down before answering Ki-lee's question for the one hundredth time. The last thing he needed was to give her an excuse to pick a fight.

"As I told you before," he said through his teeth, "I know the Avatar is here. I can feel it."

Ki-lee had heard that answer the first ninety-nine times and accepted it, she couldn't swallow it anymore. She turned away from the bow to face one of her oldest friends.

Ki-lee wasn't the most intimidating of people in the world. Standing at only five foot three, Zuko was easily a head taller than she was. She never let that stop her from giving him a piece of her mind, and Zuko never expected anything less. He sighed and braced himself for the explosion.

"You know Zuko; I'm getting real tired of your bullshit okay? All this "I can feel it." crap, come on! Just admit it; you have no idea on where the fuck we are or where we are going!"

"I know damn well where we are Ki-lee! The Avatar is near! Why can't you ever trust me?"

Ki-lee looked down at her feet,

"Because, every day I see the reminder that I can't"

She turned her back on him, showing a partially exposed scar. Zuko knew the full extent of that scar and knew that it was his fault it was there, but his temper rose anyway. He gripped Ki-lee's shoulder and spun her around to face him again.

"How many times do I have to apologize, how many times will you bring it up before you will forgive me?"

His amber eyes searched her dark chocolate ones for a full minute before she answered.

"There will never be enough times Zuko."

She shook herself out of his grip and faced the water. Tears were threating to fall.

"Just go Zuko," she whispered, "Please, just go."

He stared at her back confused and angered by the sudden change in the mood on the boat. He turned and headed towards his cabin.


	2. Chapter 2: Avatar Spotted!

Meanwhile fifty miles away from the ship, a young water bender, in a canoe with a young man that seemed to be her brother, was working herself in to a rage, losing control of her bending, causing the gigantic iceberg behind her to crack.

"…_.I'm embarrassed to be related to you!"_

"Uh… K-Katara…."

"_No! I don't want to hear it! From now on you're on your own!" _Katara yelled at her brother, throwing back one last wave.

_CRACK_

That wave did it. The iceberg shattered. A bright beam of light shot in to the air like a beacon.

"Did I do that?" Katara asked out loud, shocked.

"Yup," replied her brother sarcastically, "congratulations."

Alone with her thoughts, Ki-lee absentmindly stroked her shoulder, rough and discolored from scar tissue.

She knows how much Zuko wanted her forgiveness and she acknowledged his pain and guilt, but she just can't forgive him. What he did was unwarranted and a complete breech of her trust. He was luck that she didn't leave him.

And what is she to do about the Avatar? They've been chasing the man for three long years and the biggest lead they had was when…well she didn't want to think about that. She was ready to go to leave the South Pole. Where she would go she had no idea. She was as much in exile from the Fire Nation as Zuko and her early childhood home in Ba Sing Se may no longer offer her anything, but anywhere had to be better than freezing to death in the southernmost part of the world. Ki-lee looked up at sky.

_Oh Ling_, she thought, _what should I do?_

At that moment, a stream of light sliced through the air, just in time to not become blind, Ki-lee shielded her eyes. Just as quickly as it came, the light was gone.

_No,_ she thought,_ it couldn't be!_

She knew it was though. The only person in the world who could have that much power was the Avatar.

_This might be my chance to get off this scrap heap for good!_

She ran to tell Zuko.

Who was in his room mulling over what just transpired between he and Ki-lee moments ago.

_Why can't that peasant just let it go? _he thought storming around his room, _I've apologized to her more times than I can count! And I saved her in the end anyway!_

She had no idea the pain it caused him to see the mistrust, doubt, and hurt in her eyes whenever she would even so much as glance at him. How was he supposed to know what those pigs would do to her? How was he supposed to know that they were fire benders? How was he supposed to know that they had zero knowledge of the Avatar or his whereabouts?

With each passing thought the flames of the candles on his desk grew higher and higher. Just as they were about to reach the celling where they would have certainly caused a fire, Ki-lee burst through the door.

"Zuko! You'll never believe what just happened!"

"What?" he said with his back towards her. He was getting tired of her mood swings.

"You have to face me, so you can know I'm not lying!" she said excitedly.

He turned around. He was scowling which wasn't out of the ordinary for him, but she could tell that it was deeper. He was thinking deeply about something, most likely their recent argument, but she had no time to acknowledge that right now.

"I think I know where the Avatar is!"

Zuko blinked once, but didn't respond.

"Didn't you understand me?" she said while bouncing, "_This is our chance Zuko!_ The chance for you to get your honor back! The chance for me to go home!"

Zuko's eye followed her happy, hopping form for a minute before asking,

"How do you know?"

Ki-lee stopped bouncing; it was her turn to scowl. He doubted her now?

"I was staring up at the sky when a beam of white light cut through the sky and nearly fucking blinded me! Is that enough proof for ya?

When Ki-lee said this Zuko smiled so fast that Ki-lee almost forgot that he was in pain just five minutes ago.

"You're brilliant, Ki-lee!" he exclaimed as he moved in to hug her.

But she took as step back.

He was surprised at first standing there with his arms outstretched, but then remembered how Ki-lee tended to avoid as much physical contact with him as possible since "That Day". He put his arms down and an awkward pause followed.

"I'll go tell the men to head toward the direction of the light, no doubt they saw it," Ki-lee said looking anywhere but in Zuko's eyes.

"Good idea," he said turning away from her.

Ki-lee left the room.

Later that night, Zuko was sitting up in his bed. He was waiting for Ki-lee. She would always sneak into his room where they could talk for hours without fear of separation. It had been their custom to do so every night ever since they were children, and even though Ki-lee hadn't come ever since …that day…he always stayed up for an extra two hours just to be sure.

_I guess she isn't coming tonight…_

He snuffed out his candles and turned on his side, hoping tomorrow will be different, hoping tomorrow she'll come.

An hour later, Ki-lee came into his room as quietly as she could and sat down at the foot of Zuko's bed. She knew that he stilled stayed up at night waiting for her to come just like old times.

_I'm sorry Zuko,_ she thought,_ but I'm just not ready yet._

She looked at his sleeping form for another five minutes and then left as quietly as she came.

"_See you in the morning," _she whispered before exiting.

Zuko grunted and turned to his other side.


End file.
